For decades, the historic Matheson House withstood the effects of humidity, major hurricanes and termite infestations. Now, the damage has taken a toll on the property.
Parts of the house are sinking into the ground; window frames are slanted and dysfunctional; floorboards bear the scars of termite colonies; and ceilings are littered with cracks from water leaks.
Director Salvatore Cumella has become well acquainted with the damage to the Matheson house in his eight months as director.
“As with any house that is 170 years old, it has a number of issues,” he said. “We’ve closed the house to the public to make sure that it’s as safe as possible.”
The Matheson House will undergo a rehabilitation project. Its goal is to address the most crucial damage to reopen to the public. The project isn’t expected to happen for another two years and may span for a total of three years.
The Matheson House administrators are still working towards finalizing the cost of all necessary repairs but estimate $250,000 is needed, Cumella said. However, their website lists their goal at $200,000. So far, the Matheson History Museum has raised $50,475 towards its goal, which includes a $30,000 donation from the Community of North Central Florida.
To reach its funding goal, the museum plans to apply for a special category grant offered by the Florida Department of State Division of Historical Resources. The grant matches half of the dollar amount requested if the other half is available when an application is submitted.
Consequently, the Matheson History Museum is seeking raise $125,000. The application for the grant is due by June 2025.
“It’s possible we won’t meet the goal,” Cumella said. “If not, we’re still going to move forward with the grant and get as much as we can.”
The amount of money available for grants like this one comes from the Historic Preservation Fund administered by the National Parks Service, which may be at risk of losing funds in the future.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed bill H.R. 8998 in July 2024. It allocates about $200 million less to the National Park Service for fiscal year 2025 than it was afforded in fiscal year 2024.
However, the amount of money the bill stipulates should be allocated to the Historic Preservation Fund remains the same as it was in fiscal year 2024 at $168,900,000.
Senate bill S. 4802 recommends that about $165 million more dollars be afforded to the National Park Service, which includes about $14 million more dollars to the Historic Preservation Fund.
In March 2025, President Donald Trump signed a continuing resolution that will allocate the $168,900,000 previously afforded to the Historic Preservation Fund. That is until the resolution expires in September 2025.
For Cumella, the need to preserve the Matheson House stems from its meaning to Gainesville.
“I love being able to share our history with the community,” he said. “The Matheson has a long, 30-year history of preserving history but also sharing it and being a community hub.”
The historic property is familiar with reconstruction projects. In 1985, a house fire caused major damage to most of the interior, which was later restored.
Sarah Matheson, the house’s previous owner, donated it to the museum in 1996.
Mimi Gray, president of the board of directors for Hoggtowne Bronze, met her about 35 years ago. For that reason, raising awareness for the Matheson House rehabilitation project was special to her.
“I did have a personal connection to it since I knew Sarah Matheson,” she said. “I was excited for us to collaborate with two things I was very fond of — handbell ringing and also Sarah Matheson.”
Michael Ekbladh, music director at First United Methodist Church, led the Hoggtowne Bronze ensemble in concert at the Matheson House. The free concert was held on Saturday to draw attention to the Matheson House rehabilitation project.
Alongside a clamoring of handbells, Ekbladh sent a simple message.
“Understand your history,” he said.
For Ekbladh, the cooperation among members of a handbell ensemble is no different than the cooperation it takes to preserve a city’s history.
“Not only do you have to know your bells and be able to read your part on a piece of music, but you also have to listen to those around you,” he said.
Ekbladh maintains that restoring the Matheson house serves the greater purpose of honoring Gainesville’s past.
“These homes help us remember that connection not only to our past, but to a past that is collective and shared by the community,” he said.
Sharing Ekbladh’s sentiment, Cumella feels the Matheson History Museum can’t achieve the restoration project on its own.
“We really are relying on the community to support our events and programs and the things we do here,” he said.